Rotary bolt door latch

ABSTRACT

939,838. Vehicle door latches. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. May 22, 1962 [May 26, 1961], No. 19575/62. Class 44. A vehicle door latch having a rotatable bolt with a detent lever for holding the bolt against unlatching has an actuator lever for releasing the detent lever, and an operator lever for moving said actuator lever via an intermittent lever thereon, the intermittent lever being movable to a position in which it is out of the path of said operator lever. The bolt 38 is held in latched position by the detent lever 46, Fig. 6, under the influence of the clockwise spring loading of actuator lever 70, Fig. 7, which is pivoted about axis 72, Fig. 3, and whose forked end 76 embraces the end 52 of the detent lever 46. Pivoted on actuator lever 70 at 78 is the intermittent lever 80 which may take up one or other of two over-centre positions under the control of a spring 96 and a lug 92 bent up from actuator lever 70 into an aperture 94 in the intermittent lever 80. In the normal (counterclockwise) position of the intermittent lever, the position of the parts is as in Fig. 3. Manual pressure on a push-rod 22, Fig. 2, moves a spring-loaded operator lever 60 so that a tongue 64 thereon, Figs. 3 and 6, engages a projection 90 on the intermittent lever 80 and moves the actuator lever 70 to unlatch the detent lever 46. When a vehicle is locked by a lock 24, Fig. 1, a link 26 trips the intermittent lever 80 into the downward position, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the projection 90 is out of the path of the lug 64 on the operator lever 60 and therefore cannot be unlatched by push-rod 22. The intermittent lever 80 may also be tripped into such position from inside the vehicle by a remote control bar 30 under the influence of a handle 28, whereby the end of the bar 30 engages an arm 84 on said intermittent lever 80 to trip it to unlocked position. In the event of the door being inadvertently locked while the door is open, either by key or operation of handle 28, the closing of the door causes the detent 50 to be lifted over one of .the teeth of wheel 44 whereby the actuator lever is moved temporarily to the position shown in Fig. 5 and causes a lug 68 on the operator lever 60 to engage a projection 91 on the intermittent lever and trip same to the unlocked position. The door may be opened at all times by the indoor lever 28 by an upward movement which rotates the actuator lever counterclockwise, as shown in Fig. 5, to release detent lever 46. The door may be locked without a key by operating handle 28 and then pressing push-rod 22 during closing, whereby the lug 68 is moved temporarily out of the path of projection 91 on the intermittent lever.

April 7, 1964 c. H. LEE

ROTARY BOLT DOOR LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1961 uvmvrox.(Zarles Mz/vla Bee ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 6:. H. LEE

ROTARY BOLT DOOR LATCH Filed May 26, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.Charles Mrrold fee ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 c. H. LEE

ROTARY BOLT DOOR LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 26, 1961 INVENTOR.(fidrles Harold fee ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi 3,128,113 PatentedApr. 7, 1964 3,128,113 ROTARY BOLT DOOR LATCH Charles Harold Lee,Tayior, Mich, assiguor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, acorporation of Delaware Filed May 26, I961, Ser. No. 12,859 8 Claims.(Cl. 292280) This invention relates to a vehicle door latch, and moreparticularly to an improved door latch for an automobile.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved vehicledoor latch. Another feature of the invention is that it provides adetented door latch having outside latch operating means, inside latchoperating means, and an intermittent member mounted on the inside latchoperating means for movement between an unlocked position wherein itcouples the outside latch operating means to the detent through saidinside latch operating means, and a locked position wherein the outsidelatch operating means is uncoupled from the detent. A further feature ofthe invention is that it provides a door latch having a rotary gear typebolt with a detent for holding the bolt against rotation in anunlatching direction, outside latch operating means including a push buton lever, inside latch operating means including a remote controllever, and an intermittent member pivotally mounted on the remotecontrol lever for movement between an unlocked position wherein itcouples said push button lever to said detent through the remote controllever and a locked position wherein said push button lever is uncoupledfrom said detent. Still another feature of the invention is that itprovides a novel automatic unlocking means comprising a first abutmenton the outside latch operating means and a second abutment on theintermittent member adapted to engage the first abutment upon movementof the detent from latched position to unlatched position to move theintermittent member from locked position to unlocked position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, having reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automobile havingthe improved door latch mounted in the automobile door, parts whichunderlie the door outer panel being shown in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the door latch removed from the door.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through the door latch taken along theline 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a section similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the parts inanother position.

FIGURE 5 is a section similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the parts in stillanother position.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an automobiledesignated generally as 10 has a body which is shown only fragmentarilyin FIGURE 1 at 12, and a door 14 is hingedly mounted on the body inconventional manner as is well understood in the art. Inside the doorand adjacent the free swinging edge thereof there is mounted a doorlatch designated generally as 16. The door outer panel carries a fixedlymounted outside gripping handle 18 which slidably mounts an outside pushbutton 20 which is connected to a push button rod 22 for outsideoperation of the door latch. A conventional key cylinder 24 is mountedon the door and is connected to the latch by a connecting rod 26 forlocking and unlocking the door from outside the automobile. On the doorinner panel inside the passenger compartment of the car there is aconventional type of remote control turn handle 28 which is connected bya rod 30 to the door latch for controlling operation of the door latchfrom inside the car.

FIGURES 2-7 show the detailed construction of the latch 16. The latchframe includes a body portion 32 which is mounted in conventional manneron the inner surface of the jamb wall of the automobile door by boltswhich extend through bolt mounting openings 34 formed in the frame body32. A right angular flange portion 36 is bent from the frame body 32 andextends parallel to the door inner panel inside the door. Latching meansinclude a gear type bolt 38 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) which is rotatablyjournaled between the frame body 32 and the outer wall of a bolt housing4t) which projects out through an opening in the jamb wall of the doorfor engagement with a conventional toothed striker which is mounted onthe vehicle body 12. The striker and its manner of engagement with thebolt form no part of this invention and the striker is not illustratedin the drawings. For a complete disclosure of a suitable striker and themanner in which it engages the bolt, reference may be made to Cockburnet al. Patent No. 2,871,049, entitled Rotary Gear Bolt Door Latch. Thebolt 38 is fixedly mounted on a bolt shaft 42 which is rotatable on thelatch frame and which also fixedly mounts a cam or ratchet member 44which lies along the inner surface of the frame body 32. The bolt 33 andcam 44 which comprise the latching means rotate as a unit.

In order to hold the latching means against movement in an unlatchingdirection so that the door will remain latched, there is a detentdesignated generally as 46 and pivotally mounted on a stud 48 whichprojects from the frame body 32. The detent has a hook shaped foot 50adapted to engage the cam 44 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 6 to hold thelatch means against rotation in an un latching or door openingdirection. It should be noted that the teeth of the cam 44 are so shapedthat upon rotation of the latching means in a latching or door closingdirection, the detent will be cammed out of the way by the sloping backsurface of the ratchet teeth. At its other end the detent is formed withan actuating arm 52 which projects inwardly through a slot formed in theflange portion 36 of the latch frame.

Outside latch operating means comprises a push button lever designatedgenerally at 54 pivotally mounted on the stud 4S coaxially with thedetent 46, and a spring 56 is coiled about the mounting stud 48 and hasone arm anchored in a bent tab 58 on the latching frame and the otherarm hooked into the push button lever 54 so that the spring yieldablyurges the push button lever in a counterclockwise direction to anoperative position as the parts appear in FIGURES 2 and 6. The pushbutton lever has an upstanding arm 60 terminating in a right angularflange 62 which is located opposite and adjacent the free end of thepush button rod 22 so that upon depression of the push button 2i) thepush button lever will be swung from the operative position of FIGURES 2and 6 to the operated position of FIGURE 7. Near the lower end of theupstanding arm 60 the push button lever is formed with an actuatingshoulder 64 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) for engagement with an intermittentmember in a manner later to be described, and the push button lever isalso formed with a horizontally extending arm 66 terminating in adownwardly projecting undogging abutment 68.

A remote control lever designated generally as 70 is pivotally mountedon a stud '72 projecting from the flange portion 36 of the latch frame.The remote control lever 7 has an integral rearwardly projecting arm 74terminating in bifurcated fingers 76 which straddle the free end of thedetent actuating arm 52 to provide an operative connection from theremote control lever directly to the detent. Near its lower rear cornerthe remote control lever mounts a stud 78 which pivotally supports anintermittent member designated generally as 80 having a downwardlyprojecting arm 82 formed at its lower end with a bent inside locking tab84. A generally horizontally extending arm 86 provides a mounting nearits forward end for an outside locking pin 88 and the intermittentmember is formed with an upwardly extending arm 9% which terminatesbelow and closely adjacent the actuating shoulder 64 of the push buttonlever. The intermittent member is swingable relative to the remotecontrol lever upon which it is mounted from the unlocked position ofFIGURE 3 to the locked position of FIGURE 4, movement between these twopositions being limited by a tab 92 which projects from the remotecontrol lever through a slot R4 which is formed in the intermittentmember. An over center spring 96 is connected between the remote controllever and the intermittent member to yieldably hold the intermittentmember either in locked or unlocked position as selected.

The remote control lever is slidably connected near its lower forwardcorner to the rod 30 which extends from remote handle 28. This slidableconnection is made by a pin 93 which extends through a slot 109 in therod 30. In order to open the door from the outside, the push button 20is depressed, moving the push rod 22 against the actuating flange 62 ofthe push button lever so that push button lever 54 is swung from theoperative position of FIG- URES 2 and 6 to the operated position ofFIGURE 7. During this movement of the push button lever its actuatingshoulder 64 picks up the upstanding arm 90 of the intermittent memberBil. As will be apparent from examination of FIGURE 3, force against theintermittent member is substantially in the direction of the pivot stud78 so that the intermittent member is not caused to swing relative tothe remote control lever upon which it is mounted. Instead, theintermittent member and the remote control lever swing as a unit aboutthe axis of the stud 72 so that the remote control lever 70 moves to theoperated position of FIGURE 5, and swings the detent from its latchedposition as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 6 to its unlatched position, asillustrated in FIGURE 7, where the detent foot 50 is out of engagementwith the ratchet 44. With the parts in this position the latching meansis freely rotatable and the door may be opened.

When finger pressure on the push button 20 is released the parts arereturned to their original position by means of a spring 102 which iscoiled about the stud 78 and has one end anchored against the latchframe and the other end bearing against a tab 104 which is bent from theremote control lever. The spring 102 biases the remote control levertoward its operative position and also biases the detent toward itslatched position. As the detent approaches that position, it will bearagainst an adjacent tooth of the ratchet 44 to turn the latching meansto a proper position where the detent foot seats against the ratchet inthe manner shown in FIGURES 2 and 6. During the above described outsidelatch operation, the slidable connection between the pin 98 on remotecontrol lever 70 and the slot 100 in the remote connecting rod 30permits the unlatching operation to occur without disturbing theposition of the rod 30 or the remote handle 2%. If it is required toopen the door from inside the car, the remote handle 28 is turned in adirection to pull on the rod 30. The rod 30 will swing the remote lever70 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 3 from its operativeposition to its operated position, thus moving the detent from latchedposition to unlatched position.

Locking from outside the car may be accomplished by turning a proper keyin the key cylinder 24 to pull down on the locking rod 26 which connectsthe key cylinder 24 with the outside locking pin 88. This operationswings the intermittent member relative to the remote control lever fromthe unlocked position of FIGURE 3 to the locked position of FIGURE 4.With the intermittent member in its locked position, its upwardlyextending arm 96 is out of the path of movement of the actuatingshoulder 64 of the push button lever, so that the door is locked againstoutside actuation and when the push button 20 is depressed the pushbutton lever 54 merely free wheels without picking up the intermittentmember. It should be noted that even though the door is locked againstoutside actuation it can be opened from the inside, since the remote rod34 is connected directly to the remote control lever 70 and does notoperate through the intermittent member In order to lock the door fromthe inside, the remote handle 28 is turned in a direction to push on therod 30 so that the rod moves from the position of FIGURE 3 to theposition of FIGURE 4. During this movement the end of the rod picks upthe inside locking tab 84 on the intermittent member and swings theintermittent member to locked position.

The improved latch includes the features of automatic undogging andkeyless locking. Automatic undogging means that when the latch parts areplaced in locked position while the door is open, subsequent closing ofthe door will cause the latch parts to move back to unlocked posi* tionso that the operator will not be locked out of the car. Whenever thedoor is closed the latching means turns in a latching direction as theteeth of the bolt 38 ride over the striker as shown in Patent 2,871,049.As the latching means turns in this manner, the sloping back side of oneor more of the teeth of the ratchet 44 cams the detent so that thedetent swings in a clockwise direction from the position of FIGURE 6 tothe position of FIGURE 7. Since the arm 52 of the detent is connected tothe remote control lever 70, the remote control lever and theintermittent member 86 will be swung about the axis of the mounting stud72 so that the undogging abutment 91 on the intermittent member engagesthe complementary undogging abutment 68 on the push button lever,causing the intermittent member to swing from locked position tounlocked position.

If desired, the operator can lock the door without use of the key merelyby depressing the push button 20 during the time the door is beingclosed. This operation swings the push button lever 54- to its operatedposition (FIG. 7) where the undogging abutment 68 is out of the path ofmovement of the undogging member 91 on the intermittent member.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it iscapable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the constructionand arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latching means movably mounted on said frame; detent meansmounted for movement between latched position in engagement with saidlatching means to hold the latching means against movement in anunlatching direction, and unlatched position out of holding engagementwith said latching means; outside latch operating means; inside latchoperating means coupled directly to said detent means; and means forcoupling said outside latch operating means to said detent means,including an intermittent member mounted on said inside latch operatingmeans for movement between an unlocked position wherein it couples saidoutside latch operating means to said detent means through said insidelatch operating means, and a locked position wherein said outside latchoperating means is uncoupled from said detent means.

2. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latching means movably mounted on said frame; detent meansmounted for movement between latched position in engagement with saidlatching means to hold the latching means against movement in anunlatching direction, and unlatched position out of holding engagementwith said latching means; outside latch operating means comprising apush button lever; inside latch operating means comprising a remotecontrol lever coupled directly to said detent means; and means forcoupling said push button lever to said detent means, including anintermittent member mounted on said remote control lever for movementbetween an unlocked position wherein it couples said push button leverto said detent means through said remote control lever, and a lockedposition wherein said push button lever is uncoupled from said detentmeans.

3. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latching means movably mounted on said frame; detent meanspivotally mounted on said frame for movement between latched position inengagement with said latching means to hold the latching means againstmovement in an unlatching direction, and unlatched position out ofholding engagement with said latching means; outside latch operatingmeans comprising a push button lever mounted on said frame for movementbetween operative and operated positions; inside latch operating meanscomprising a remote control lever mounted on said frame for movementbetween operative and operated positions; means operatively connectingsaid remote control lever directly to said detent means; and anintermittent member mounted on said remote control lever for movementbetween an unlocked position wherein it couples said push button leverto said detent means through said remote control lever, and a lockedposition wherein said push button lever is uncoupled from said detentmeans.

4. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latching means rotatably mounted on said frame; a detentpivotally mounted on said frame for movement between latched position inengagement with said latching means to hold the latching means againstrotation in an unlatching direction, and unlatched position out ofholding engagement with said latching means; outside latch operatingmeans comprising a push button lever pivotally mounted on said frame formovement between operative and operated positions; inside latchoperating means comprising a remote control lever pivotally mounted onsaid frame for movement between operative and operated positions; meansoperatively connecting said remote control lever directly to saiddetent; and an intermittent member pivotally mounted on said remotecontrol lever for movement between an unlocked position wherein itcouples said push button lever to said detent through said remotecontrol lever, and a locked position wherein said push button lever isuncoupled from said detent.

5. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latching means movably mounted on said frame; detent meansmounted for movement between latched position in engagement with saidlatching means to hold the latching means against movement in anunlatching direction, and unlatched position out of holding engagementwith said latching means; outside latch operating means; inside latchoperating means connected directly to said detent means, means forcoupling said outside latch operating means to said detent means,including an intermittent member mounted on said inside latch operatingmeans for movement between an unlocked position wherein it couples saidoutside latch operating means to said detent means, and a lockedposition wherein said outside latch operating means is uncoupled fromsaid detent means; and automatic unlocking means comprising a firstabutment on said outside latch operating means and a second abutment onsaid intermittent member adapted to engage said first abutment uponmovement of said detent means from latched position to unlatchedposition to move said intermittent member from locked position tounlocked position.

6. A vehicle door latch of the character described including: a latchframe; latching means movably mounted on said frame; detent meansmounted for movement between latched position in engagement with saidlatching means to hold the latching means against movement in anunlatching direction, and unlatched position out of holding engagementwith said latching means; outside latch operating means; inside latchoperating means; means coupling said inside latch operating meansdirectly to said detent means; means for coupling said outside i'atchoperating means to said detent means, including an intermittent membermounted on said inside latch operating means for movement between anunlocked position wherein it couples said outside latch operating meansto said detent means, and a locked position wherein said outside latchoperating means is uncoupled from said detent means; and automaticunlocking means comprising a first abutment on said outside latchoperating means and a second abutment on said intermittent memberadapted to engage said first abutment upon movement of said detent meansfrom latched position to unlatched position to move said intermittentmember from locked position to unlocked position, said first abutmentbeing moved out of the path of movement of said second abutment uponoperation of said outside latch operating means to prevent automaticunlocking.

7. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latch means movably mounted on said frame; detent means pivotallymounted on said frame for movement between latched position inengagement with said latching means to hold the latching means againstmovement in an unlatching direction, and unlatched position out ofholding engagement with said latching means; outside latch operatingmeans comprising a push button lever mounted on said frame for movementbetween operative and operated positions; inside latch operating meanscomprising a remote control lever mounted on said frame for movementbetween operative and operated positions; means operatively connectingsaid remote control lever directly to said detent means; an intermittentmember mounted on said remote control lever for movement between anunlocked position wherein it couples said push button lever to saiddetent means through said remote control lever, and a locked positionwherein said push button lever is uncoupled from said detent means; andautomatic locking means comprising a first abutment on said push buttonlever and a second abutment on said intermittent member adapted toengage said first abutment upon movement of said detent means fromlatched position to unlatched position to move said intermittent memberfrom locked position to unlocked position.

8. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latchframe; latching means rotatably mounted on said frame; a detentpivotally mounted on said frame for movement between latched position inengagement with said latching means to hold the latching means againstrotation in an unlatching direction, and unlatched position out ofholding engagement with said latching means; outside latch operatingmeans comprising a push button lever pivotally mounted on said frame formovement between operative and operated positions; inside latchoperating means comprising a remote control lever pivotally mounted onsaid frame for movement between operative and operated positions; meansoperatively con necting said remote control lever directly to saiddetent; an intermittent member pivotally mounted on said remote controllever for movement between an unlocked position wherein it couples saidpush button lever to said detent through said remote control lever, anda locked '1 position wherein said push button lever is uncoupled fromsaid detent; and automatic unlocking means comprising a first abutmenton said push button lever and a second abutment on said intermittentmember adapted to engage said first abutment upon movement of saiddetent means from latched position to unlatched position to move saidintermittent member from locked position to unlocked position, saidfirst abutment being moved out of the path References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dingman et a1. Nov. 8, 1955Cockburn et a1. Sept. 15, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,128,113 April 7, 1964 Charles Harold Lee Itis hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 6, line 51, for locking" read unlocking Signed and sealed this13th day of October 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER Attestin-gOfficer

1. A VEHICLE DOOR LATCH OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, INCLUDING: A LATCHFRAME; LATCHING MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME; DETENT MEANSMOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN LATCHED POSITION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAIDLATCHING MEANS TO HOLD THE LATCHING MEANS AGAINST MOVEMENT IN ANUNLATCHING DIRECTION, AND UNLATCHED POSITION OUT OF HOLDING ENGAGEMENTWITH SAID LATCHING MEANS; OUTSIDE LATCH OPERATING MEANS; INSIDE LATCHOPERATING MEANS COUPLED DIRECTLY TO SAID DETENT MEANS; AND MEANS FORCOUPLING SAID OUTSIDE LATCH OPERATING MEANS TO SAID DETENT MEANS,INCLUDING AN INTERMITTENT MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID INSIDE LATCH OPERATINGMEANS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN UNLOCKED POSITION WHEREIN IT COUPLES SAIDOUTSIDE LATCH OPERATING MEANS TO SAID DETENT MEANS THROUGH SAID INSIDELATCH OPERATING MEANS, AND A LOCKED POSITION WHEREIN SAID OUTSIDE LATCHOPERATING MEANS IS UNCOUPLED FROM SAID DETENT MEANS.